CLEVELAND, Ohio –- So Johnny Manziel opted for a middle-finger salute of Washington. He is a taxpayer after all.

Such a lapse in professionalism and poise shouldn't rule him out of the starting job in the season opener.

Not when there are better, more obvious reasons for the Browns to name Brian Hoyer and be done with this uninspiring duel.

Browns' head coach Mike Pettine has been clear that Manziel's biggest obstacle is the playbook. That was seconded in the ESPN segment aired during Monday's game, the one where Jon Gruden asks Manziel to call a play and finally shakes his head and says, "Good luck to you."

This was no vanilla defense Manziel faced. Washington defensive coordinator Jim Haslett brought blitzes that predictably confused the rookie. Gruden later pointed out that Manziel needed to change protections on one snap, not just backpedal and throw it toward the hot receiver.

He clearly tried to limit his running and instead make plays from the pocket. You'd hope he embraces that philosophy. This is the NFL. When he did run, the pursuit corralled him.

Manziel's hesitation behind center is hardly surprising. He'll pick it up. There's just not enough time for it to happen before Pittsburgh on Sept. 7 without offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan curtailing the offense.

(You could argue he needs to do just that after watching the Browns v. Washington and after hearing Manziel try to answer Gruden's question. Manziel was either trying to call a play or give the coordinates for a moon landing).

Had Hoyer and Manziel simply looked awful all by themselves Monday, Pettine could more easily justify letting them jab at each other for another week without naming a starter.

But on display was an offense totally out of sorts. The timing was as bad as anything seen in an Open Mic night at a comedy club.

The exhibition season is growing dangerously late. Drag this out another week, then what? Another week giving each quarterback two series each? The end game – that one of them will slightly outplay the other? – doesn't justify the delay.

The Browns hoped to go into Pittsburgh with one quarterback having distinguished himself enough to elevate the confidence of an offense with a rebuilt line, new running backs and a receiving corps expected to be without Josh Gordon. That's not going to happen with one more night of exhibition football.

The problem for Pettine is his timing in naming either quarterback the starter so soon after Monday's debacle. But it's something he should do and all he needs to say is it's time to devote total focus to beating the Steelers.

Hoyer is the default setting for the Browns' offense. That's not the highest compliment or the best reason to name him starter but the Browns must throw their support behind him and get him ready for Pittsburgh.

Manziel is still learning the playbook. Next comes learning the many disguises worn by NFL defenses. In a city where so many NFL seasons have launched with the Browns so ill prepared for the occasion, Pettine has a chance to change that against his team's biggest rival.

Waffling for another week isn't the way to do it. He already too easily dismissed his wide receivers inability to catch the ball as something that just happens in training camp. He'd be making another mistake to keep waiting for the quarterback competition to sort itself out.

This is not an endorsement of Hoyer as the answer. It's just to say this offense is floundering and needs stability. Hoyer is the best chance of that taking hold in time for the first barrage of the season – Pittsburgh, New Orleans and Baltimore.

Committing to Hoyer gives the offense a chance to operate under a single voice. One that can at least translate the playbook.

Pettine is the head coach, no longer a defensive coordinator. If the offensive coaches are split on Hoyer and Manziel, that's understandable. It's also counter productive to continue the debate much longer.

Hoyer had the edge when camp started. Manziel has improved but hasn't supplanted him.

Get Hoyer -- and by extension, the offense -- ready for Pittsburgh. Time isn't on anybody's side but least of all Manziel's.

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